As of the 6th day of the Matthew 25 Engagement Challenge, we already have NINE churches reporting engagement!
Will you join us?
The Presbytery of Denver is engaging in the work of service to Jesus Christ to build congregational vitality, dismantle structural racism, and eradicate systemic poverty. Don’t miss the opportunity to serve Christ and change systems that impact the hungry, stranger, sick, naked, and the prisoner.
Click on the link to enter your engagement. Reporting will take about 1 – 2 minutes of your time. Then celebrate with us how you are engaging.
Email photos to Matthew25@denpres.org or tag on social media #WEAREDENPRES.
DEVOTION
Matthew 25:41-45 Then he will say to those on his left, “Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.” They also will answer, “Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?” He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.” (NIV)
When my children were young, I would ask them to clean their rooms. After a while, they would proudly announce that they had finished. I would come to check and, invariably, I was likely to say, “What are you going to do about that toy in the middle of the floor?” They would answer, “Ooooh, I didn’t see that one.” Of course, they intended to pick up everything. Of course, they meant to have clean rooms but, somehow, they overlooked something that was very obvious.
I think the people in this Matthew 25 passage may be a lot like this. They had every intention of doing good – for their Lord. They would do anything for their Lord. Indeed, they appear surprised that they did not help their Lord in a time of need. But, they did not see, or chose not to see, who their Lord truly was. Lord, when did we see YOU needing help and chose not to help you? Surely, if we had known it was you, we would have been the first to help you. Sadly, they did not see the obvious, that Christ is in all of us and even, especially, in the least of us. And, by overlooking who Christ truly is, they missed their opportunity to serve their Lord.
Questions:
Have you ever missed an opportunity to serve because you did not see clearly the need for action?
When have you seen Christ in another person?
_______________
Martha Cearley is a member of Wellshire Presbyterian Church where she is a member of the newly-formed Diversity Task Force and sings in the choir (masked and socially distanced). Her children are grown-up and she picks up after her dogs now.